About the job

Job summary

• Are you skilled in financial management, budgeting and reporting?
• Have you got a background in financial leadership roles and heading teams that deliver robust financial management processes?
• Can you effectively assimilate yourself into a team and forge strong relationships with Board members, colleagues, stakeholders and auditors?
• Do you thrive in a fast paced and diverse setting, where no day is the same and your ability to perform is supported with learning and development opportunities?

If your answers are yes, and you are seeking a new venture where you will play a central role in our continued success in the automotive industry; look no further.

About Us

Our work is focused on improving vehicle safety and environmental protection by providing robust testing and certification to national and internationally recognised standards. We are a part of the Department of Transport as the designated UK Vehicle Type Approval Authority. With more than 40 years’ experience, we have become one of the largest and well-respected approval bodies around. This position has been built on a reputation for technical expertise and quality, which is at the heart of everything we do, and what you could be a part of.  

Here's Farooq to give more information about our finance team, the role and the type of person we’re looking for. You can also check out our Finance and Resource candidate pack for more information about us, what we can offer you and why we’re a great place to work.

Job description

As a core part of our Finance team, and the Finance and Resource directorate; your expertise and knowledge will play an essential role in our day-to-day work.

A flexible, varied role with a real opportunity to drive and develop culture and processes. Reporting to our Chief Finance and Resource Officer, and a member of our senior team, you will lead on compliance and sound financial governance.

As an experienced accountant with comprehensive knowledge of management accounting, your brief will encompass giving guidance and direction on a wide variety of financial affairs. A harmonious approach to working with internal and external agencies will help you to liaise with auditors, deliver presentations on financial and commercial matters and deputise for the Chief Financial and Resource Officer when you are required.

You will have the opportunity to take an influencing role in managing the finance team, demonstrating your capability and wisdom to support and coach colleagues.

In addition to a Civil Service pension, flexible working arrangements, a generous annual leave allowance, family friendly policies and more; you will also benefit from a support network of colleagues, where you will be encouraged to continue training and development opportunities.

Person specification

To apply for our Financial Controller position, you will need:

• Qualified Accountant of CCAB recognised accountancy body or CIMA.
• Operated at a variety of levels across a large organisation within the Finance profession.
• Experienced of managing and developing a finance team.
• Experienced at working with internal and external auditors.
• Experience of working with a Board and Senior Staff.
• Excellent financial modelling skills Gathering, analysing and interpreting commercial and technical information.
• Building effective working relationships with a wide range of stakeholders.
• Effectively present complex financial information.
• A working knowledge of government accounting rules and government finances including HM Treasury requirements and expectations.
• Some up-to-date knowledge of the motor industry would be advantageous.
• Exposure to a multi-currency trading environment.
• Experience of accounting system transformation and upgrades.

For more information, please see the role profile.

Additional Information

A minimum of 60% of your working time should be spent at your principal workplace or on location testing.  

Benefits

Your wellbeing is important to us, which is why we’re pleased to offer a wide range of benefits to all our colleagues, inside and outside of work.  

Find out more about the ways you can benefit in our candidate pack.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

Our 2-stage selection process ensures a comprehensive assessment of each applicant's qualifications, skills, and potential fit within our organisation.  

How to Apply 

As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete a CV and Personal Statement. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

To apply you should provide a CV and Personal Statement. We will assess the following experience indicators from your CV & Personal Statement so you should tailor both to clearly explain how you meet them:

• Experience of working as a Qualified Accountant of CCAB recognised accountancy body or CIMA.
• Experience of operating at a variety of levels across a large organisation within the Finance profession.
• Experience of managing and developing a finance team.
• Experience working with internal and external auditors.

Your Personal Statement should be a maximum of 1000 words and we recommend a minimum of 250 words for each of the bullet points above. 

Some guidance to help you with your application can be found in the candidate pack below. 

Stage 1: Initial Experience-Based Sift  

In this stage, we carefully review all applicants CV & Personal Statement to shortlist candidates who meet the experience indicators and possess the necessary qualifications. 

Stage 2: In-person Assessment 

The final stage involves an in-person assessment, where selected candidates will be invited to visit one of our premises.  

Sift and Interview 

The sift is due to take place 11th March 2024 

Interviews are likely to be held from the 25th March 2024.  

We will try to meet the dates set out in the advert. There may be occasions when these dates will change. You will be provided with sufficient notice of the confirmed dates.  

The interview will be held face to face and will consist of:

• Interview 
• Presentation

You are encouraged to become familiar with the role profile, as you may be assessed against any of the criteria recorded within.  

The Department for Transport alongside other Government Departments recruit using Success Profiles. This means for each role we consider what you will need to demonstrate in order to be successful. This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, drives up performance and improves diversity and inclusivity.   

For further information on Success Profiles visit our Careers website.  

Please note that VCA are unable to offer VISA sponsorship.

Reasonable Adjustments

As a Disability Confident Leader employer, we are committed to ensuring that the recruitment process is fair, accessible and allows all candidates to perform at their best. If a person with a visible or non-visible disability is substantially disadvantaged, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need during the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at an interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

If you need a reasonable adjustment so that you can complete your application, you should contact Government Recruitment Service via dftrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Document Accessibility

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

This job advert contains links to the DfT Careers website. Our website provides useful guidance and information that can support you during the application process. If you cannot access the information on our website for any reason, please email DRGComms@dft.gov.uk for assistance.

Further Information

For more information about how we hire, and for useful tips on submitting your application for this role, visit the How We Hire page of our DfT Careers website. You can find detailed information about the recruitment process and what to expect when applying for a role.

Pre-employment Checking

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment. 

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5-year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

This role is full time only. Applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window). The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.